Bladder sensations in male and female overactive bladder patients compared to healthy volunteers: a sensation-related bladder diary evaluation.

To investigate the differences in bladder sensations of overactive bladder (OAB) patients compared to healthy volunteers. In addition, to see if bladder sensations are different in men and women. In a prospective, longitudinal study (METC 09-2-095), 66 volunteers and 68 OAB patients were included. Anticholinergic medication was stopped. Subjects filled out a sensation-related bladder diary (SR-BD), for two periods of 3 days, including a 4-points urgency scale and visual analogue scale for perception of bladder fullness. In total, 6160 voids were assessed. Patients voided more often with higher degrees of urge at a lower mean voided volume (193 vs 270 ml/void;  < 0.001) than healthy volunteers. The mean urinary frequency per litre diuresis was also higher (5.8 vs 4.1/l;  < 0.001) in patients. At the same voided volume: patients perceived a higher mean bladder fullness, independent of the degree of urge, and higher urgency (1.4 vs 0.5/100 ml;  < 0.001) than healthy volunteers. There were no gender differences in the above-mentioned voiding parameters, except for the mean voided volume at urge 3 in volunteers (340 ml in men vs 362 ml in women;  = 0.03) and urge 1 in patients (171 ml in men vs 135 ml in women;  = 0.027). Bladder sensations were significantly increased in everyday life for both male and female OAB patients compared to healthy volunteers. OAB patients experienced a higher mean bladder fullness sensation, independent of the degree of urge, and higher mean urge/urgency at the same voided volume than volunteers. Bladder sensations are crucial in the assessment of treatment response.